Skip to content

Churches can’t fill pews but they are filling bellies

Provincial public health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic may be preventing religious organizations from holding worship services, but at least two churches in Thompson are doing what they can to help fight hunger at a time when many people ar
Volunteers pack bags with breakfast items at Thompson Pentecostal Assembly April 14.
Volunteers pack bags with breakfast items at Thompson Pentecostal Assembly April 14.

Provincial public health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic may be preventing religious organizations from holding worship services, but at least two churches in Thompson are doing what they can to help fight hunger at a time when many people are uncertain how they’re going to pay for groceries or how much longer they’re going to have jobs.

Thompson Pentecostal Assembly, which now holds weekly services online, is giving back to the community by providing breakfast in a bag twice a week.

Pastor Mel Versluis says he got the idea for the food distribution program from a Facebook post by a friend, who asked anybody in need of help to message her, no questions asked and no judgment.

“I thought, ‘Well what a great idea,’ just to help people that are going to need it,” says Versluis. “We still want to serve and this was a way to do that.”

Using $2,000 of the church’s funds as seed money, the program has now made three deliveries, two in the second week of April and the latest on the morning of April 14, giving out about 180 bags continuing a four-litre container of milk, a loaf of bread, one box of cereal, a dozen eggs and fresh fruit in a massive volunteer effort.

“We’ve had lots of volunteers,” said Versluis.

In addition to the seed money, the church has received donations, including $600 in gift cards from Safeway.

Gift cards are the best type of donation for the program.

“We don’t have any place to store food,” Versluis said. 

People who want a tax receipt for donations of greater than $10 can receive them by making a donation to Thompson Pentecostal Assembly by texting “Give” to 204-677-3435 and putting “breakfast program” in the memo line. People can also volunteer by texting “Volunteer” to the same number or by going to www.thompsonchurch.ca and clicking on the “Volunteer” tab.

“We’re always happy to have more folks, especially those that are willing to deliver,” Versluis says. 

People who want to receive breakfast in a bag can go to the church website’s breakfast program page or text “Breakfast” to 204-677-3435 and then follow the link. Recipients receive a maximum of one bag per month.

Roy Bladen of the Salvation Army, which has closed its church and its thrift store as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, says its food bank is starting to see the effects of economic disruption caused by the closing of non-critical businesses and resulting layoffs, receiving 12 new applications for food hampers on the morning of April 9 alone.

“It is picking up,” he said. “We’re starting to get clients now that have been laid off. Layoffs didn’t happen all at the same time. We know we’re going to be facing some pressure. It is increasing. How far it increases remains to be seen.”

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, regular clients picking up food hampers are asked to call in advance so the food can be placed outside for them to pick up without any person-to-person contact.

“It’s working very well,” Bladen says of the pandemic-precaution system. Perishable food that the food bank receives is placed outside for anyone to come pick up, though people doing so are asked to ensure that only one person comes up the wheelchair ramp to the entrance at a time

The food bank is in decent shape right now, due to a successful Christmas fundraising campaign and subsequent donations.

“We’ve had a couple of good financial gifts,” Bladen says.

There are some items that are always needed, including canned meat, peanut butter, juice and, of course, Kraft Dinner.

“It’s a good staple,” Bladen says.

To register as a food bank client or to make a donation (financial gifts are best) , contact Bladen at 204-307-2193.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks